As Uganda joins the rest of the world tomorrow to mark the beginning of the 16 days of activism, civil societies that focus their operations on the fight against domestic violence have asked leaders to take action to prevent violence against women which has become so rampant in Uganda.

The Global theme for this year is “From peace in the home to peace in the world: Let’s challenge militarism and end gender-based violence!”, and the National theme is “Act now, stop teenage pregnancies, child and forced marriages”.

According to statistics, currently in Uganda 59% of women experience violence, 16 pregnant experience violence while 28% have experienced sexual violence in their life time. The police annual crime report 2013 indicates 315 domestic violence death cases, 9,598 cases of defilement and 1,042 cases of rape.

Speaking to journalists at their offices in Kamwokya, the executive director of the Centre for Domestic Violence Prevention (CEDOVIP) Tinah Musuya expressed concerns that violence against women is often accepted, ignored or even expected in society hence injustice.

Musuya said that the health of women, families and communities require an end to violence against women thereby calling upon policy makers to invest in local violence prevention programming and to promote gender equality.

Meanwhile Dorah Kiconco the executive director of UGANET has said that the recently passed law known as the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Act 2014 has worsened the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate among women for fear of being victimized by their partners.

Kiconco advises that this law needs to be repealed and revised if its intended objectives are to be realized.